Sealed ignition unit



Nov- 5, 5 c. E. WOLFENBARGER 2,619,513

SEALED IGNITION UNIT Filed June 30, 1349 5 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. Charles VbZ/enoyer w aw Nov. 25, 1952 Filed June 30, 1949 C. E. WOLFENBARGER SEALED IGNITION UNIT 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 wza ATTORNEY INVENTbRI 660x120 5. Z/Bfianba Nov. 25, 1952 SEALED IGNITION UNIT Filed June 30, 1949 C. E. WOLFEN BARGER 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 caarjzz/aymaa er BY I ATT RNEY IN V EN TOR.

1952 v c. E. WOLFENBARGER 2,619,513

SEALED IGNITION UNIT Filed June 30, 1949 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 I l l I INVEN TOR.

@arzw gz/flwsa BY 0 Z) ATTORNEY 1952 c. E. WOLFENBARGER 2,6 9,513

SEALED IGNITION UNIT Filed June 50, 1949 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 IN VEN TOR.

(Aw-; H/I/BZ/en er ATT RNEY Patented Nov.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SEALED IGNITION "UNIT CharlesE. Wolfenbarger, Walla Walla, Wash.

Application June 3.0, 1949, Serial No. 102,171

Claims. 1

My invention relates "to improvements in a sealed ignition unit for use in the ignition systems of internal combustion engines.

It is the purpose of my invention to provide an ignition unit-of simple, compactconstruction which embodies a small removable coil unit which makes direct physical contact with the rotor, a shell of insulating material housing the coil unit and having the high tension distributor terminals and leads therefor embedded therein, the shell having rubber cushion'seals in the top thereof for the leads to the primary coil of the coil unit and spark terminals, complementary to the shell.

My improved sealed ignition unit can readily be fit to any conventional distributor base with only minor alterations. The condenser points, and automatic spark advances are all conventional and are mounted in relation with the distributor-base.

Another object and advantageof my'invention is providing an ignition unit wherein all'of the wiring that must extend to the unit projects compactly from the top'of the unit. The wire-outlets such asthe spark plug wires and the'battery lead for the primary Winding are of the conventional type but are so mountedthat they are clamped between the mainbody of the unit and a thin cap that fastens down over it. The wire outlets-slope downwardly toward-the point where they leave the unit so as to preventany possible chance of water settling at the openings and seeping in.

The nature and advantages of my invention will appear more fully fromthe following description and the accompanying drawings illustrating a preferred form of the invention. It should be understood however, that the drawings and description are illustrative only and are not to be considered as limiting the invention except insofar as it is limited-by'the claims.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a View in side elevation of an ignitionunit embodying my invention;

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken vertically through the ignition unit with the top of the distributor base broken away to illustrate the manner in which the unit seats on the base;

Figure 3 is a top-plan view of theignition unit with the cover removed;

Figure 4 is a'bottom plan view with the shaft connection to the rotor shown in section;

Figure 5 is an explodedview taken on the line 55 of Figure 2 with the cover removed and the shellof theunit separated from the distributor base. Theremovable coilis shown partly lifted out in this" figure;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary view in side elevation taken substantially on the line 6-6 of Figure 3;

Figure 7 is a iragmentary sectional view taken on-the llne 'l! of Figure 3; and

Figure-8 is a plan view of the distributor base.

Referring now to the drawings in detail the shell is illustrated at I. It is preferably constructed of alight'water proof insulating material such for example, as a hard rubber composition. The shell is open at both ends. A cover 2 closes the top end of the shell and is sealed to the top end'of the shell by two gasket seals 3 and 4. The seals 3 and 4 are suitably channeled to receive a battery wire 5 and the spark plug wires 6. It will be noted from Figures 2 and '7 that both the cover '2 and the shell I have their facing surfaces at l and 8 where the wires enter sloping downwardly toward the exterior so that when the seals 3 and4 are clamped on the Wires'there is no tendency for water to settle around the wires at the inlet and to seep in along the wires. The top seal 3 extends all the way around the cover soasto-make the coverto shell connection water tight. The cover is secured in place by means of two bolts 9 and '40 (see Figure 5) that are embedded in the topof the shell l and wing-nuts II and 12.

The lower end of the shell I has a dome like cavity l3 in which the high tension terminals [4 are exposed. These terminals are connected by wire leads l5 thatare embedded in the shell 5 to sockets l6 that are exposed at the upper end of the shellto receive the standard conventional connecting ends IT on the spark plug wires 6.

The cavity I 3 is surrounded by a rib I8 that fits down inside a distributor base It). A metal band '20 is provided around the lower end-of the shell "I and hasslotted ears 2| and 22 to receive the securingbolts 23 and 24 which are pivoted in-ears 25 and 26 on the distributor base. Wing nutsiZl and 28 are provided for the bolts 23 and 24. 'To complete the water tight seal, a thin rubbergasket 29 is mounted around the rib 13 to receive theupper end of the distributor base !9. A removable coil unit 30 seats in the hollow interior of the shell I. The coil unit 30 carries a core 3|, a primary Winding 32 and a secondary winding 33. The primary winding 32 is led out through the top 34 of the coil unit and is electrically connectedto a terminal screw 35 having a wing nut :36 to clamp the Wire 5 in place for establishing current supply to the primary windingS'Zfrom the battery of the engine.

A central opening 31 connects the hollow 'interior of the shell with the dome shaped cavity IS. The coil unit has a reduced portion 58 that seats in the opening 37 and a spring pressed contact 39 is mounted in the portion 33. One terminal of the secondary winding 33 is connected to the contact 39. The shell has a socket is ofiset from the opening 3'! from the bottom of which an embedded wire lead il extends to a spring pressed contact 42 that opens into the cavity l3. The coil unit has a projecting tubular portion 43 that extends into the socket 45. The portion "53 carries a spring pressed contact Mi for making contact with the wire lead M in the bottom of the socket 45. The contact lid-is connected to both the primary 32 and the secondary Winding 33 so as to establish electrical connections from these windings to a terminal 35 in the distributor base.

The terminal 45 as shown in Figure 8 is connected by a wire lead it to a condenser 47 in the distributor base. It is also connected through points 48 to a grounded post 19 to complete the primary circuit.

The distributor base l9 has a plate 59 seated in the top thereof for mounting the condenser 41, the points 58 and the contact terminal 45.

The terminal 35 is of course, insulated from the base plate 50. A breaker arm is also insulated from the base 5!! and has a cam finger 52 for engaging a cam 53. The cam 53 is mounted on a shaft 5Q which supplies power from the engine to the distributor.

The shaft 54 also mounts a rotor 55 which has a contact plate 56 secured thereon in position to be engaged by the spring pressed contact 35. The plate 56 cooperates with the terminals id to distribute the high tension current to the several spark plug wires 15.

When current flows into the primary winding 32 from the battery over the wire 5 it is carried through spring contact 45 and wire lead ll to the spring contact 42 and the terminal 45 then to the points 38 and to ground. When the current flows through the primary winding 32 it induces the high potential in the secondary winding 33. The high potential current flows from the secondary winding 33 through the spring contact 39 to the plate 55. When the rotor 55 rotates, this plate distributes the hight potential current to the terminals It within the cavity !3. Current flows through the wires l5 and the spark plug wires 5 to the engine. The circuit for the secondary coil is completed through ground and the distributor base to the ground post 49 and over the same circuit as the primary winding to the contact ill.

It will be apparent from the foregoing description that I have provided a sealed ignition unit in which all of the wires are positively sealed against dirt and moisture Where they leave the unit. This is established by the seals 3 and a. All of the wires project from the top of the unit in a compact body. The arrangement of the wire outlets at the very top of the unit permits the use of shorter high voltage wires leading to the spark plugs and helps to keep the wires away from the heat, oil and dirt from the engine. The downward sloping of the wire outlets from the ignition unit avoids any possibility of water seeping into the unit.

Another distinct advantage of my improved ignition unit is the construction of the removable coil unit which 'makes direct physical contact with the rotor. A defective coil can be removed with ease and replaced quickly since it makes direct physical contact with the rotor and its spring cont-act 35 rides on the rotor. The contact resistance is very low and high efiiciency in the electrical circuit is obtained. The coil unit can be taken out and replaced without any special tools or experience. It can only be put in the right way. To test the coil it is simply removed from the shell I with the battery wire 5 attached. Then with the engine switch on the current terminal 44 is touched against the engine and the high voltage terminal 39 is held about one quarter of an inch from the engine. If the coil is working properly a hot spark will jump from the high voltage terminal to the engine.

It will be noted that the rotor 55 is so constructed as to be substantially balanced. All of the parts carried by the distributor base 19, including the rotor, are readily accessible for inspection or cleaning, or for replacement by the removal of the shell I. No wires have to be disconnected and none of the parts of the shell are loose so that they might be lost.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. An ignition unit for internal combustion engines adapted to mount on a distributor base having a rotor, said unit comprising a two part shell having an upper open topped coil receiving chamber and a lower, downwardly opening, domeshaped cavity adapted to receive the rotor, and having a central passage connecting the chamber and the cavity, a coil unit removably seated in said chamber comprising a core and primary and secondary windings and a housing supporting the core and windings, said housing having a reduced lower end portion extending into said passage, and carrying a spring pressed contact which extends into said cavity to engage the rotor.

2. An ignition unit for internal combustion engines adapted to mount on a distributor base having a rotor, said unit comprising a two part shell having an upper open topped coil receiving chamber and a lower, downwardly opening, domeshaped cavity adapted to receive the rotor, and having a central passage connectin the chamber and the cavity, a coil unit removably seated in said chamber comprising a core and primary and secondary windings and a housing supporting the core and windings, said housing having a reduced lower end portion extending into said passage, and carrying a spring pressed contact which extends into said cavity to engage the rotor, a cover for said shell, sealin means between the cover and the shell, said shell and said cover having outwardly projecting downwardly sloping portions with seals thereon cooperating to clamp a battery wire and spark plug wires therebetween.

3. An ignition unit for internal combustion engines adapted to mount on a distributor base having a rotor, said unit comprising a two part shell having an upper open topped coil receiving chamber and a lower, downwardly opening, domeshaped cavity adapted to receive the rotor, and havin a central passage connecting the chamber and the cavity, a coil unit removably seated in said chamber comprising a core and primary and secondary windings and a housing supporting the core and windings, said housing having a reduced lower end portion extending into said passage,

, and carrying a spring pressed contact which ex- 5 the base of said socket, and a projection on the coil unit extending into the socket and carrying a spring pressed contact for engaging the wire terminal.

4. An ignition unit for internal combustion engines adapted to mount on a distributor base having a rotor, said unit comprising a two part shell having an upper open topped coil receiving chamber and a lower, downwardly opening, dome-shaped cavity adapted to receive the rotor, and having a central passage connecting the chamber and the cavity, a coil unit seated in said chamber comprising a core and primary and secondary windings and a housing supporting the core and windings, said housing having a portion extending through the passage and provided with a contact to rest on the rotor.

5. An ignition unit for internal combustion engines adapted to mount on a distributor base having a rotor, said unit comprising a shell having an upper open topped chamber and a lower, downwardly opening, dome shaped cavity, said shell having a small central passage extending downwardly from the chamber to the cavity, a coil unit housing having a lower portion seated in the bottom of said chamber and having a reduced end extending through the central passage into the cavity, the coil unit housing having a core and primary and secondary windings therein, a spring pressed contact carried in the reduced portion of said housing and extending into said cavity to engage the rotor and a cover for said shell, the cover and shell having downwardly and outwardly sloping channels provided with seals to clamp battery and spark plug wires therebetween.

CHARLES E. WOLFENBARGER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,054,462 Harmon Sept. 15, 1936 2,057,240 Mallory Oct. 13, 1936 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 322,816 Great Britain Dec. 16, 1929 

